Pool of perpetrators

[JulyBabyComing]

Hi,

I met my midwife yesterday and she said she thinks as there’s no domestic abuse now and there’s never been any issue with my parenting etc that when it comes to the unborn baby the biggest issue they’ll have is that I was one of two left in a pool of perpetrators for injuries I didn’t cause.

Could they use the pool I was left in in 2018 as a reason to remove our baby when it’s born next year?

My late sons dad was found by a coroner in 2019 to be the cause of my late sons death, will children’s services now factor this in? The coroner made this ruling 9 months after I was left in the pool but I can’t help but wonder if the coroners verdict came first if that would have changed the pool.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear JulyBabyComing,

Thank you for your posts which I will reply to here in one response.

You say you have met your midwife and she has expressed she does not have current concerns about domestic abuse or your parenting capacity but raised that you were previously one of two people in a pool of perpetrators for injuries caused to your son. Your late son's father was found by a coroner in 2019 to have caused your son's death - this was 9 months after you were left in the pool of possible perpetrators. You would like to know if children's services will consider this and whether this could be used to remove your baby when they are born next year.

It is understandable that you are feeling anxious and worried. As I mentioned in my last post, it sounds like you have made some big changes since 2018 and that you are in a very different place in your life right now. Children's services will do a pre-birth assessment - and whilst they will have to look at what happened previously - they should assess your situation as it is now. Part of this may also include considering the coroner's ruling.

Children's services can only remove your child without your permission if they have an order from the court. In order to get an order from the court they will need to evidence that your child has suffered from significant harm or is at risk of significant harm.

For now I would advise that you continue to work with your midwife and that you engage openly with the social worker when they start their assessment so that can get a full and accurate understanding of your current situation.

Best wishes,

Suzie.